Overview

• Houston fell 2-1 to the Nationals on Riley Adams’ seventh-inning homer, marking its fifth straight loss, the longest skid of the season.
• Framber Valdez fanned 12 over six innings to become the 10th Astros pitcher with 1,000 career strikeouts but yielded the tying run on a sixth-inning grounder.
• Valdez publicly questioned the outfield alignment on Nathaniel Lowe’s game-tying double, arguing the right fielder was mispositioned toward center field.
• The lineup has scored three runs or fewer in 10 of its last 17 games, and opponents have plated the first run in 18 consecutive contests.
• With Jeremy Peña, Yordan Álvarez and other key hitters sidelined, Houston faces mounting pressure to bolster its roster before the July 31 deadline.